Ruling device



2 Sheets$heet 1.

(No Model.)

B. 0. GAW L. RULING DEVICE.

Patented Apr. 6, 1897-.

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(No Model.) zsneets-sheet 2.

R. G. OAWL. RULING DEVIGEL.

No. 580,087. Patented Apr. 6, 1897.

nvmvrok 41 I WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT C. CAWIJ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW' YORK.

RULING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,037, dated April 6, 1897.

Application filed September 24, 1896. Serial No. 606,811. (No model.)

To [tZl whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. OAWL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ruling Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever found throughout the several views.

This invention relates to devices for ruling ledgers, journals, and other books employed in bookkeeping and for similar purposes; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device whereby a short line or short parallel lines may be quickly and easily ruled on the pages of such books where and whenever desired.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved ruling device; Fig. 2, a plan view of the bottom thereof; Fig. 3, a cross-section thereof; Fig. 4, a side view of a modified form of construction'; Fig. 5, a cross-section, and Fig. 6 a longitudinal section on the line 6 6.

In the practice of my invention I provide an oblong box or casing 5, the bottom of which is provided at each side thereof with longitudinal flanges 6, and said bottom is also provided with a longitudinal slot 7 adjacent to one side thereof and midway between said slot and the opposite side of the box or casing with another and similar longitudinal slot 8, which is wider than the slot 7.

Mounted in the slot 7 is a longitudinal plate 9, which is provided centrally with a shaft 10, which extends upwardly through the top 11 of the box or casing, and said shaft is provided with a knob or head 12, and mounted thereon between said knob or head and the top of the box or casing is a spiral spring 13, and mounted in the slot 8 are two similar plates 14 and 14, which are arranged side by side in said slot with the plates 14 on the inner side, and each of which is provided with a shaft 15, which projects upwardly through the top of the box or casing and is provided with a knob or head 15, and mounted on said 1 vided with an inwardly-directed hub 28,which shaft between the knobs or heads 16 thereof and the top of the box or casing are spiral springs 17.

The plates 9, 14, and 14 are provided with edges by which the required ruling is made, and the form and construction of the plates 14 and 14 and the edges thereof are such that when said plates are both depressed at once two parallel lines will be formed which are close together, and when the plate 9 is depressed a single line will be formed, and a single line may be formed by either of the plates 14 or 14, as will be readily understood. In practice I also provide an ink-pad, and in using myimproved ruler the plates 9, 14, and 14 are depressed thereon, and whenever it is desired to rule a page or to form a single short line thereon or two parallel short lines the device is placed on said pad and the plates 9, 14, and 14 are depressed, as may be required, and it will be understood that in the normal position of said plates they are held above the flanges 6 at the sides of the box or casing and do not come in contact with the surface on which said box or casin g may be placed.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the box or casing 5 is provided with a handle 20, and said box or casing is also preferably smaller than that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and the bottom thereof is open, as shown at 21, and mounted in said box or casing are the plates 9, 14, and 14.

The plates 14 and 14 are mounted adjacent to each other or placed side by side, as hereinbefore described, and passing transversely through the box and through said plates is a screw-threaded shaft 22, and the plate 9 is also screw-threaded, and the shaft 22 is provided with a milled head 23.

The plate 14 is provided centrally of its upper side with a vertical slot 24, through which the shaft 22 passes, and said plate is rigidly secured in the box or casing while the outer plate 14" is provided with a large circular opening 25, and the screw-threaded shaft 22 is provided with an extension 26, which is not screw-threaded and which projects through the side of the box or casing opposite the milled head of said shaft, and mounted thereon is a thumb-nut '27, which is propasses through the side of the box or casing and which is provided at its inner end with a circular head 29, which fits in the circular opening 25, formed in the plate 14, and the extension 26 of the shaft 22 passes eccentrically through said circular head 29.

By turning the shaft 22 by means of the milled head 23 the plate 9 may be moved toward or from the plate 1 and the space between the same may be thus increased or decreased as desired, and by turning the thumbnut 27, which is held on the extension 26 of the shaft 22 by a nut or bur 30, the outer plate 14 may be raised or lowered.

The outer plate 1% is slightly narrower and also slightly shorter than the plate 14, as shown in dotted and full lines in Fig. 6, and the object of making the plate 14 shorter and narrower than the plate 14 is to provide means whereby the said plate 14 may be moved longitudinally by the eccentric-head 29 when said plate is raised or lowered by the shaft 22, and whenever it is desired to rule two parallel lines close together and a third line parallel therewith and at a predetermined distance therefrom the outer plate 14 is depressed by the thumb-nut 27 into the po' sition shown in Fig. 5, and the shaft 22 is turned so as to properly adjust the plate 9, after which the required lines may be ruled as hereinbefore described, and whenever the two parallel lines formed by the plates 14 and 1M are not required the. plate lat may be raised by turning the thumb-nut 27, as will be readily understood, and in this case the two full lines at any desired distance apart may be ruled by the inner plate LL and the plate 9.

The main difference between this form of construction and that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, consists of the fact that the plate 9 is adj usted toward or from the plates 14 and 14:, and the outer plate 14 is capable of being raised or lowered while the inner plate 14 remains stationary. Either form of construction is well adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and it will be apparent that other changes in and modifications of the construction of the device which constitutesthe subject of this application may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A ruling device comprising an oblong boX or casing, in which are mounted three parallel plates, two of which are arranged side by side, said plates being designed to project through the bottom of the box or casing, and one of the two plates which are arranged side by side, being vertically movable, substantially as shown and described.

2. A ruling device comprising an oblong box or casing, and provided with three longitudinal plates, which project through the bottom thereof, and two of which are arranged close together, and one of said two being secured in position, and the other bein g vertically movable, substantially as shown and described.

3. A ruling device comprising an oblong box or casing, the bottom of which is open, and in which are mounted three plates, two of which are arranged close together, and the other being adjustable toward or from said two, and one of the two plates which are arranged close together, being vertically adj ustable, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing wit-nesses,this 22d day of September, 1896.

ROBERT C. CAVL.

lVitnesses:

CHARLES S. ROGERS, A. O. VAN BLARooM. 

